Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T00:06:25.524Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Relationship between water holding capacity and fibre concentration in equine feeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

J J Hyslop
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Dept Vet Clinical Studies, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
B M L McLean
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Dept Vet Clinical Studies, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
M J S Moore-Colyer
Affiliation:
Institute of Rural Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth SY23 3AL, UK
Get access

Extract

The water content of feedstuffs is an important factor when considering both the nutritive value of a feed for dietary rationing purposes and when assessing the functional properties associated with the practical inclusion of a feedstuff in animal diets. Water is a vital nutrient in its own right and must be supplied on a daily basis. Feed associated water provides one source of this obligatory requirement. In addition, the water holding capacity (WHC) of a feedstuff and its relationship with other constituents of the feed may have important effects. Water can be associated with feedstuff in one of three ways (Robertson and Eastwood, 1981b). Firstly, water can be bound by the hydrophilic polysaccharides of the fibre component of feeds. Secondly, water can be held within the structural fibre matrix of feeds and finally, water can be associated with feedstuff fibre other than bound or matrix water and is usually considered as water trapped within the cell wall lumen.

Type
Posters
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). (1990). Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC. 15th Edition. Virginia, USA.Google Scholar
Froetschel, M.A. and Amos, H.E. (1991). Effects of dietary fibre and feeding frequency on ruminal fermentation, digesta water holding capacity and fractional turnover of contents. Journal of Dairy Science 69: 13121321.Google ScholarPubMed
Lawes Agricultural Trust. (1993). Genstat 5 Reference Manual. Rothemstead Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK.Google Scholar
Robertson, J. A. and Eastwood, M. A. (1981a). A method to measure the water holding properties of dietary fibre using suction pressure. British Journal of Nutrition 46: 247255.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robertson, J. A. and Eastwood, M. A. (1981b). An investigation of the experimental conditions which could affect water holding capacity of dietary fibre. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 32: 819825.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tsaras, L.N., Kyriazakis, I. and Emmans, G.C. (1998). The prediction of the voluntary food intake of pigs on poor quality foods. Animal Science 66: 713723.CrossRefGoogle Scholar